Chapter 38: An Arranged Marriage! The Youngest Daughter Swears She Will Never Submit!

How could there possibly be such a thing as a pie falling from the sky? The first thing Li Xiaoyu thought was that there must be something wrong with the man’s side.

“Mom, could you have been tricked? Or maybe there’s something wrong with the man. Otherwise, how could such a good thing happen!”

Ma Yulian would not tolerate anyone doubting her. The moment she heard Li Xiaoyu’s words, her face turned cold, and she reached out to twist Li Xiaoyu’s arm.

“What could possibly be wrong? This is such a good thing. All you need to do is marry over there and enjoy a good life. Do you think I’d set you up? Listen to me—this marriage, I’ve already agreed to it for you!”

Li Xiaoyu’s arm hurt, and she hurriedly slapped away Ma Yulian’s vicious hand, shaking her head repeatedly.

“Mom, I don’t agree to this marriage. There must be something wrong with the man’s side, and besides… I’m already in a relationship. I already have someone. I don’t want to go on any more blind dates—what kind of thing is this!”

Ma Yulian’s eyes widened, which made her look even more frightening, as her eyes were already small and now the whites showed all around. Her sharp tongue wasted no time.

“Li Xiaoyu, do you have no shame? You refuse the marriage your family arranged and insist on messing around with some man outside? Have you done anything shameful with that wild man?”

Ma Yulian made as if to twist Li Xiaoyu’s ear, but Li Xiaoyu dodged, frowning in disgust. “No, we’re both decent people, heading toward marriage. How could you say that about your own daughter?”

Ma Yulian took a deep breath, not even caring to learn what kind of person her daughter’s boyfriend was, declaring, “No. I don’t agree to you two being together. Break up with him immediately!”

“Marriage has always been a matter of parental command. If I say you’ll marry someone, you just listen. Can the one you’re seeing give you as much bride price? They’re offering six hundred—marry over and you’ll live in comfort.”

“Mom, how can you arrange my marriage like this!”

Ma Yulian sneered, even invoking Li Junsheng’s name to pressure Li Xiaoyu. She knew well that her daughter had always cared more for Li Junsheng, not so much for herself, and tended to listen to him.

“Your father has already agreed to this marriage. Stop dreaming about making your own decisions about whom to marry.”

She glanced sideways at Li Xiaoyu, her tone dripping with sarcasm. “You really are just like your father. Refusing good fortune, insisting on suffering and being honest—nothing like me at all!”

“Was it easy for me to raise you? If you were truly filial, you’d ask for more bride price for me to repay the kindness of giving birth to and raising you.”

Li Xiaoyu had never imagined that even her beloved father would agree to this marriage. How was this any different from selling their daughter?

She stood frozen in place, her face filled with despair. Her relationship with her boyfriend was loving and rare, and now her parents insisted on her marrying someone else…

A glint of resoluteness flashed in Li Xiaoyu’s eyes. She faced Ma Yulian with unwavering determination. “In this life, I will only marry the one I love and who loves me. If you force me to marry someone else, I’d rather die. You can forget about arranging my marriage!”

She thought her mother wouldn’t force her any further after she said this, but in truth, she had overestimated Ma Yulian’s compassion.

Ma Yulian simply looked at her with mocking eyes. “Go ahead and die, if you have the guts. Don’t bother threatening me here!”

Seeing how little she mattered to her mother, Li Xiaoyu’s heart was steeped in hopelessness. Even her own mother wasn’t afraid of her dying!

And thinking about it, why would Ma Yulian care? She didn’t even like her second son—how could she possibly care for her?

Even her name was given carelessly. It happened to be raining the day she was born, so she was named Li Xiaoyu—Little Rain.

Ma Yulian, oblivious to Li Xiaoyu’s despair, scorned her further. “If you want to die, do it far from here. Don’t die at home or we won’t be able to sell this house!”

“You really think you’ve grown wings, threatening me with death. Do whatever you want. If you die, it’ll be as if I never raised a daughter like you. To seek death for a man—shameless!”

Her words were like sharp knives stabbing into Li Xiaoyu’s heart, draining her face of color and filling her with utter humiliation.

But Ma Yulian was relentless, immediately demanding money from Li Xiaoyu.

“Since you don’t want to live anyway, hand over the money Li Junsheng just gave you.”

Li Xiaoyu quickly stepped back, clutching her coat pocket.

“No, that’s from my dad! How can you take it? All the money I earned as a temp worker at the textile mill I already gave you—isn’t that enough?”

Ma Yulian’s face darkened and she slapped Li Xiaoyu hard.

The slap rang out crisply. Li Xiaoyu’s right cheek burned with pain and her ear buzzed, proof of how much force Ma Yulian had used.

Before Li Xiaoyu could say a word, Ma Yulian pointed at her and cursed, “Ungrateful wretch! Li Junsheng was drunk today, that’s why he thought of giving you money! You worthless thing, how dare you take it seriously?”

“Hurry up and hand over the money! Weren’t you just threatening me with death? What are you still clutching that money for?”

Ma Yulian reached out, grabbing for the money. Li Xiaoyu’s defensive gesture made it clear the cash was in her pocket.

Ma Yulian’s attempt was aggressive and wild, but Li Xiaoyu, slender and frail, clung desperately to the two hundred and seventy-five yuan.

She had to protect this money—without it, she’d truly have no way out. With this money, forced into marriage, she could at least escape to another place, rent a room, and start her life anew.

If she lost even this, she’d be completely cornered.

Meanwhile, Ma Yulian was determined to get her hands on the two hundred and seventy-five yuan, planning to take all the money from her two daughters. Once her younger daughter was married off for a six-hundred-yuan bride price, she’d finally have enough to pay Chen Dazhu.

For a while, neither would give in, struggling and pulling at each other in the room.

Recently, Li Junsheng had become more difficult to deal with, so during the tug-of-war, Ma Yulian was careful not to make too much noise for fear of drawing his attention and being beaten herself.

Otherwise, she’d have shoved Li Xiaoyu aside long ago.

But Li Xiaoyu wasn’t thinking about any of that—she only wanted to protect her two hundred and seventy-five yuan.

A loud thud startled Li Junsheng, who was sitting on the living room sofa, entertaining Xiaowei.

He looked toward Ma Yulian’s room and noticed both she and Li Xiaoyu were missing.

Inside the room, Li Xiaoyu, distracted, was tripped by Ma Yulian. She shrank into a corner, clutching her pocket with all her might, as Ma Yulian, fierce as a demon, tried to pry her hands apart, leaving them red.

At that moment, Li Junsheng strode to the doorway and kicked the door open.

“Ma Yulian, what do you think you’re doing?!”